Amanuensis Monday - Fatal Fire in Brooklyn Kills Firemen

The Evening World, New York, NY - 27FEB1920 pg1

This post is a follow up from a Memorial Monday post back in April that listed six fire fighters from Union L94 out of New York. I found the article on newspapers.com that talks about the fire, but only two are listed as having died and one other as expecting to die, but when you look at the list of the injured they are all listed on the memorial's panel which would lead me to believe that they died at some point that year of their injuries. The only person in the list of the injured that survived was Isaac Ludgate.

Even sadder, two of the casualties were brothers.

"Blow-Up at Brooklyn Fire Costs Lives of Firemen; Five Others are Injured

One of Victims Blinded and Is Expected to Die - Blaze Starts in Hold of Boat and Spreads with Great Rapidity.

The Evening World, New York, NY - 27FEB1920 pg1

Two firemen were killed and five injured in a fire and explosion that until early to-day menaced the Nassau works of the Brooklyn Union Gas Company, at Kent Avenue and Rush Street, Brooklyn. The dead are:

Brennan, Thomas, thirty-eight, No. 162 Washington Park, Brooklyn.
Karkle, Michael, thirty-seven, No. 246 Woodbine Street, Brooklyn.

The injured are:

Callmeyer, Frank, twenty-eight, No. 110 Forbell Street, Brooklyn.
Ludgate, Isaac, Acting Battalion Chief, forty-five, No. 50 Newell Street, Brooklyn.
Brown, Samuel, fifty, No. 1329 47th Street, Brooklyn.
Hughes, James, forty-six, No. 69 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn.
Brennan, James, No. 257 Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn.

James Brennan, brother of Thomas, is expected to die. He is blind and is burned all over the body. He and Chief Ludgate, who is burned about the hands, face and body, but not seriously, are in the Williamsburg Hospital. The others are in Cumberland Street Hospital.

Fire Starts in Boat at Rush Street.

At 8 o'clock last night fire started in the hold of a supply boat at the gas company's pier at the foot of Rush Street. A second alarm brought several companies, and in two hours the flames were under control and all the companies returned to quarters except Engine Company No. 231.

While a crew of fifteen men were wetting down the fire, flames suddenly jumped from the boat to a refuse tank of tar - called 'drippings' - a short distance away on the pier. Firemen rushed toward the tank to extinguish the blaze, but within a few seconds there was an explosion that sent blazing tar and oil in all directions.

Seven of the firemen, many of them blown yards away, disappeared in the heavy smoke and their comrades, some of them themselves burned, formed a rescue squad.

The five men now in the hospital were carried to safety before the bodies of the dead were recovered. The latter were burned almost beyond recognition, and it was more than an hour before it could be learned which of the Brennan brothers had lost his life. Chief Ludgate paid no attention to his injuries until he saw his men had been cared for. Before going to the hospital he telephoned his wife to allay her fears.

Just before the first (sic - fire) started Chief Ludgate had been telling the men in Engine House No. 251 how exactly one year ago last night he had been trapped in a blaze in Walkabout Street and badly burned.

20,000 Gallons of Tar Refuse Blow Up.

A third alarm was sent in after the explosion, but the fire was under control at midnight, having done a damage of $10,000. It is estimated there were about 20,000 gallons of tar refuse in the tank that blew up.

The menace to the big gas storage tanks of the company developed an unidentified hero in an employee of the company. He opened the escape valves of the tanks and the gas flowed off to reservoirs blocks away. In the mean time fireboats had arrived and did good work until the danger was over.

Fire Marshal Trophy has begun an inquiry into the causes of the fire and explosion.

The Evening World, New York, NY - 27FEB1920 pg2

Thomas Brennan had been in the Fire Department nineteen years and has been six years with Engine Company No. 251. He received the departmental medal two years ago for his bravery in rescuing, with Fireman Frank Flannery, Capt. Smith of the company and four men who had been overcome at a hose nozzle on the second floor of the Charles Williams Stores. Arriving late from theatre duty, the two fought their way along their company's hose line until they stumbled over their unconscious comrades. One by one they dragged the five out to the resuscitated.

Brennan leaves a wife, who was too ill to be told of his death, and six children, three boys and three girls, ranging in age from seventeen to twenty-six years.

Michael Karel, who entered the company at the same time Brennan was transferred to it, was decorated with the department medal for entering a burning celluloid factory in Williamsburg last summer and releasing members of the company who were so trapped that in a few minutes all of them would have been burned to death. He leaves a wife and a two-year old daughter."

Amanuensis Monday - The Firemen Lost in Chicago 1924

The Belvidere Daily Republican,
Belvidere, IL - 19APR1924, pg1

A follow up to a Memorial Monday post in April where it was noted that numerous fire fighters from union L2 in Illinois were lost in a single event. This is the story of their loss.

"Fire Killing Eight Believed Due to Arson

Arrest Three Seeking Plot to Gain $32,000 of Insurance

Chicago's tragical fire followed by swift action that places three men under arrest when police follow trail of recently place insurance policy - firemen crushed when explosion wrecks walls of burning structure

(Special by the United Press.)

Chicago, April 19 - Arson was suspected by police today in the fire which last night gutted a four story building here, killing eight firemen, one civilian, and injuring 20 others, some perhaps fatally.

Search of the ruins continues, police and firemen fearing others, still unaccounted for, may have been trapped when a terrific explosion caused the walls to billow out and then collapse.

The explosion occurred on the second floor while firemen were swarming all over the building.

The dead:

Captain John J. Brennan, 40
Michael Devine, 34.
Lieut. Frank Frosh, 37.
Thomas Kelley, 51.
Edward Kersting, 38.
Francis S. Leavey, 37.
Samuel T. Warren, 40.
Jeremiah Callaghan, 40.
William Derh, 40**

The structure was known as the Curran building, located on Blue Island avenue, on the south side. Fire, apparently insignificant, broke out last evening. Within a few minutes the fire was raging through the entire structure.

Scores of pieces of fire apparatus were brought to the scene.

Blast Shatters Building

Several firemen were on the upper floors, others were on the ground floor, and still others were perched on ladders leaning against the walls and on a water tower rearing its head a few feet from the building when, without a second of warning, a terrific explosion shook the building; the walls bulged out and then caved to the ground.

The roof and upper floors crashed through to the basement, carrying the tortured, living freight. Shrieks of agony pierced the gale-like roar of the flames and earth-shaking crash of falling brick, concrete, steel and timbers.

Heroes to the rescue

Scenes of unsurpassed heroism followed. Policemen and firemen, undaunted by the leaping flames and falling debris, rushed into the roaring furnace. Most of those on the injured list were dragged from the ruins and owe their lives to the prompt and courageous work of the rescuers.

Doctors, internes (sic) and nurses were summoned and the men received first aid in the glare of the fire.

A priest, Father E. A. Jones of the Holy Family church, walked calmly through the excitement, delivering the last sacrament to the dying.

Patrolman Thomas Kelley, Jr., giving assistance wherever needed, came on one little group and broke through to see if the could help and found his father dead, in the center.

Ride Falling Wall

Lieut. John Kaminiski and John Courtney of a fire insurance truck, had a miraculous escape from death. They were on the third floor when the explosion occurred. They rode the falling wall to the street and while rendered unconscious they were not badly hurt. Police were told that owners of the Curran building had aroused the enmity of many persons by planning to rent the upper floors of the structure to negroes. Police also were told that several persons, acting suspiciously, had been seen near the building just before the fire.

Separate investigations are under way by police, the fire marshal and the coroner.

The Belvidere Daily Republican,
Belvidere, IL - 19APR1924, pg2

Three Suspects Arrested

Police today took into custody Samuel Moore, Leo Unell and Samuel Palinski in connection with their investigation of arson.

Moore and Unell, proprietors of the Moore-Unell Novelty company, owners of part of the structure, took out $32,000 fire insurance several days ago, police said.

Palinski, police said, held the policy in lieu of a mortgage on the company's stock. Adolph Friedman, proprietor of another shop in the building, told police that an hour and a half before the fire broke out Moore asked him if all the tenants were out of the building."

Makes for a dramatic story. With the tragedy and heroism of fire fighters is the story of racism (how dare they think to rent to blacks! *gasp*) and greed. Had they not been so greedy these people would have lived longer lives.

** William Derh is not listed on the IAFF memorial and should be the civilian listed in the article. It is possible that James Carroll was also a casualty who isn't listed here. He was listed with the rest of the group on the memorial. He may have died from injuries later, was found later, or was a casualty in a separate fire and just happened to be listed next in the series on the panel.

IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Panel 1923-1924

Amanuensis Monday - The Story of the Seven from PA Union L1

Lebanon Semi-Weekly, Lebanon, PA
21JAN1924, pg1

In a Memorial Monday post back in April I shared names from a panel of the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs. Seven fire fighters from Union L1 in Pennsylvania died in one event in 1924. That was a large number and it made me want to find out where Union L1 was from and what happened. Please be warned that this article can be a bit graphic.

"Firemen Had Horrible Death in Blazing Oil

Pittsburgh, Pa., Today - Seven firemen were killed in fighting an oil fire at the plant of the Atlantic Refining Company in Lawrenceville today. Many suffered from the intense cold. Scores of others were reported injured.

The firemen were killed when they fell into a tank of blazing fuel.

The fire was still burning fiercely. Starting in a 10,000 barrel tank of oil, it threatened to spread to adjoining tanks.

All available firemen in the city were called out.

Company officials refused to allow newspapermen near the scene of the blaze, claiming there had been too much 'publicity' in the million dollar fire at the same plant a year ago.

The dead are:

Hoseman Patrick Abbott and Captain Edward Jones, both of No. 26 Engine Company.

Fire Captain Rudolph Bliske and Hoseman John Markham.

Three unidentified firemen.**

The seven men were thrown head-long into the burning tank when a ladder on which they were standing crumpled beneath them.

The tank let go with an explosion shaking the Lawrenceville district for blocks around.

Bob Smith Sam Bolin, Captain Frazier.

Buck Lowrie. Fireman of No. 9 Company was saved from death in the boiling tank when pulled safely by Fireman Jenkins. Loire was badly burned and taken to a hospital where it was believed he will recover.

Jesse Mercer and Al Stewart, firemen, were both seriously injured when a roof upon which they were standing gave way, throwing them 30 feet to the ground.

The firemen, aided by scores of volunteers, were keeping the blaze confined to the one tank. It was not believed at 10 A.M. that there was serious danger of the fire spreading.

Seven blackened, charred bodies of firemen were removed from the burning tank of crude oil at 10:30 A.M.

While several hundred firemen and volunteers fought to keep the blaze from spreading to other tanks and building inside the great yards, a group of heroic men rescued the bodies from a manhole at the bottom of the tank.

Their faces and hands blackened and cracked by the intense heat, the rescuers worked grimly until all the bodies had been removed.

The fire started with an explosion early today that rocked the Lawrenceville district for blocks.

Great clouds of dense black smoke poured from the tank and settled in a pall over that part of Pittsburgh.

Heroic rescues, spectacular and dramatic, marked the work of the fire fighters. It was a scene of ghastly impression as the men battled against the flaming oil, endeavoring to save 0 surrounding tanks from catching fire.

The blazing tank was lcoated (sic) in the midst of 10 other tanks, all of 10,000 barrel capacity, and was joined to a sister tank standing only a few yards away.

A runway connected the two tanks and upon this runway the firemen were forced to stand and fight the heat and flames.

Several women, wives of the firemen appeared at the gates of the oil yards after it was learned some of the firemen had been killed, many of them weeping and screaming.

The oil company guards denied them admission along with newspapermen and others who sought to go inside.

Hospital ambulances, police patrols and scores of nurses hastened to the scene of the fire. First aid was rendered to firemen. hot coffee was supplied the men in wash tubs.

The fire spread to a three story brick building in the yards and added new danger to adjoining plants where the distilleries are kept. Machinery crumpled, windows cracked with the intense heat and telephone and electric lines were rendered useless as the fire raged.

Streams of water were played upon all buildings and tanks in the yards. Coatings of ice formed immediately presenting an odd contrast with the melting pot of the fire shooting out flame and smoke.

The firemen had great difficulty in getting close enough to the tank to do effective work. Barricades were constructed and a dozen streams of water poured upon the other tanks to cool them. Little effort was made to extinguish the tank afire. Firemen said it would have to burn itself out while they did their best to prevent the other tanks from engulfing."

As I was transcribing this I kept wondering about them using water on an oil fire. We know that doesn't work. Water spreads oil fires and they really need to be smothered to be put out. We've got chemicals nowadays that can do that, but they apparently did not. My curiosity was satisfied when it got to the last paragraph. They knew they couldn't put it out. They just tried to contain it.

Another curiosity was that the company wouldn't let the newspapermen near the action. While it can easily have been said that they were trying to protect them that doesn't appear to be the case. In the fifth paragraph we see that the Atlantic Refining Company refused to let the newsmen near the fire because of a fire a year ago where the company seemed to have received some negative publicity. Curiouser and curiouser. Sounds like there was a story there!

**The article mentions unknown firemen that were killed. As mention in my previous post the seven men who perished were:

Patrick Abbott
Rudolph Bliske
Samuel Bollinger
Henry Frazier
Edward Jones
John Markham
Robert Smith

IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Panel 1923-1924

Memorial Monday - IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial 1923-1924

IAFF FFFM Panel 1923-1924

This week the next panel for the IAFF's Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial covers the rest of 1923 and most of 1924.

"Bert E. Burris   L58   TX
John Sandberg   L2   IL
William young   L366   MI
Fred Hippler   L73   MO
Harrington W. Brand   L282   NY
E. O. Jones   L58   TX
Raymond Farrell   L94   NY
James J. Sullivan   L94   NY
Harry Stuhlreyer   L48   OH
William E. Kelley   L282   NY
Bernard Feehan   L1066   NJ
Charles Brehm   L583   WI
Louis C. Lauth   L416   IN
Anthony T. Glover   L144   MA
Thomas L. Bleich   L37   IL
Fred Stehle   L67   OH
Hugh McShane   L255   AB
Herman Schultz   L344   MI


1924

H. Stanley Ellis   L372   CA
Thomas P. Considine   L42   MO
Frank A. Foscoe   L50   IL
Fred Dalton   L67   OH
Hartvig C. Christensen   L82   MN
Patrick Abbott   L1   PA
Rudolph Bliske   L1   PA
Samuel Bollinger   L1   PA
Henry Frazier   L1   PA
Edward Jones   L1   PA
John Markham   L1   PA
Robert Smith   L1   PA
Albert E. Donovan   L94   NY
Fred E. Barlow   L416   IN
Conrad Schwalm   L2   IL
Terrence McCaffery   L2   IL
Frederick Mosher   L841   MA
Wayne Hunter   L416   IN
James Shaw   L94   NY
Roy Walsweer   L366   MI
Ercil G. Morse   L112   CA
Thomas J. Connolly   L94   NY
A. S. Hughes   L58   TX
John Brennan   L2   IL
Jeremiah Callaghan   L2   IL
Michael Devine   L2   IL
Frank Frosh   L2   IL
Thomas Kelly   L2   IL
Edward Kersting   L2   IL
Francis Leavy   L2   IL
Samuel Warren   L2   IL
James Carroll   L2   IL
William Leichsenring   L94   NY
George Hawkins   L344   MI
Claus Clausen   L2   IL
Richard Beard   L344   MI
Edward Cunningham   L853   MA
Harry Shrimpton   L2   IL
William Hutcheson   L29   WA
George Crane   L31   WA
T. Roscoe King   L34   AR
Raymond B. Lancey   L1841   MA
Joe M. Hope   L34   AR
Timothy Murphy   L2   IL
William Shuberg   L27   WA
Thomas Shanahan   L2   IL
James J. McCormack   L94   NY
James J. Murphy   L94   NY
Chris Christiansen   L2   IL
James R. Starkey   L94   NY
W. Earl Harvey   L42   MO
John P. Heydon   L42   MO
Percy Ackels   L366   MI"

As I went through transcribing these names I couldn't help, but think of how many were lost in what would appear to be a single event in union L1 in Pennsylvania. Then union L2 in Illinois popped up. Not only did they appear to lose a large number of people in an event, but throughout the year. Now that school's out for me for the next few months I may have to see if I can find out more.

Let these brave souls never be forgotten.

Memorial Monday - IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial 1922-1923

IAFF FFFM Panel 1922-1923

Continuing with my Memorial Monday series is the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial panel covering the remainder of 1922 and the first part of 1923.

"Thomas D. Hassett   L94   NY
Frank Kopidlansky   L368   WI
Stanley R. Thomas   L60   PA
Elmer Cassidy   L282   NY
Peter Schraffenberger   L48   OH
John Walsh   L2   IL
Henry P. Reinhardt   L94   NY
Oscar Thaxton   L317   WV
Frederick G. Brandt   L94   NY
Thomas MCGown   L2   IL
Eugene Carten   L73   MO
John Hass   L73   MO
Michael Kane   L73   MO
Frank Cafferata   L2   IL
William G. Jones   L282   NY
Anton Krafcheck   L215   WI
Mathias Wambach   L215 WI
Paul Winsauer   L215   WI
James W. Josnton   L113   ON
Timothy Bagley   L172   NA
James V. O'Donnell   L94   NY
John Murdoch   L113   ON
Emmet F. Donnelly   L94   NY
Adrian B. Curnen   L94   NY
James S. Baldwin   L43   OR
Ceaser R. Helbing   L5   CO
James McDade   L788   NJ
Albert Thresher   L345   KY
James H. Malone   L94   NY
John J. Schoppmeyer   L94   NY
Charles F. Garret, Sr. L67   OH
Stewart Lynn   L2   IL
George A. Lenz   L734   MD
Louis J. Farrell   L94   NY
William C. Swan   L718   MA
Oscar B. Gabriel   L43   OR
William A. Richards   L94   NY
Albert Fischer   L22   PA
Thomas J. Gilloway   L22   PA
Patrick A. Murray   L22   PA
Edward T. Paxson   L22   PA
Patrick J. Doherty   L94   NY
Harry C. Powell   L112   CA
Ernest Robertson   L613   MY
E. O. M. Wilson   L209   AB
Leo Hertel   L27   WA
Thoas Maloney   L345   KY
Gust T. Peterson   L82   MN

1923

Walter Reed   L93   OH
Alex Thompson   L357   IN
Charles Watson   L357   IN
Julius Phillips   L798   CA
Fred H. Rittenour   L43   OR
John F. J. Dunne   L94   NY
Michael H. Hanley   L94   NY
James Griffin   L94   NY
Charles J. Murphy   L416   IN
Harlan A. Ruth   L67   OH
Charles E. McKenna L76   MA
Thomas Carrigan   L280   NY
John J. O'Reilly   L1339   CT
David S. Gerow   L193   ON
William J. Aeillo   L94   NY
Julius Spanier   L94   NY
Joseph E. Nirschel   L282   NY
Herman J. Cowdrey, Jr   L144 MA
Charles A. Daley   L144   MA
Adolph W. Wefel   L43   OR
William Merten   L48   OH
Horace Roberts   L27   WA"

May the never be forgotten.

Memorial Monday - IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial 1920-1922

IAFF FFFM Panel 1920-1922

The next panel recognizing IAFF Fallen Fire Fighters cover the last few of 1920, all of 1921, and the first few from 1922.

"Joseph A. Hopwood   L345   KY
Stephen J. Finn   L94   NY
Ward A. Rishall   L22   PA
John Halpin   L2   IL
William J. Cox   L718   MA
Edwin Falch   L215   WI
Ambrose E. Sherman   L22   PA
Joseph Howard   L299   PA
John Keupp   L94   NY
George Dutt   L345   KY

1921

Charles Young   L689   CA
Douglas Sivewright   L42   MO
Carl Schultz   L447   ON
Fred W. Hambly   L230   CA
Nelson Poirier   L162   ON
William McIllhagga   L867   MB
William Haley   L93   OH
William Steele   L345   KY
J. B. Galliher   L995   VA
J. R. Guthrie   L995   VA
T. R. Johnson   L995   VA
G. C. Richardson   L995   VA
Wenzel Wasicek   L215   WI
Abraham Brown   L758   IN
Frank Novatny   L2   IL
Raymond B. Lawrence   L282   NY
Patrick Galligan   L58   TX
James Kent   L740   ME
Frank C. Milien   L345   KY
Patrick Jordan   L93   OH
William Sholten   L758 IN
Karl Gunster   L43   OR
Garrett Hefferman   L2   IL
Bernard F. McDermott   L798   CA
Joseph A. Flanagan   L94   NY
Thomas Behan   L94   NY
William F. Selliger   L94   NY
John B. Henry   L522   CA
Manuel Peters   L522   CA
Oscar Lehman   L43   OR
Edward N. Frost   L1116   MA
George Atkinson   L22   PA
Patrick Deasy   L2   IL
Robert Edwards   L42   MO
Gust Seban   L2   IL
J. H. Penn   L58   TX
James English   L2   IL
William J. Carr   L27   WA
William Jobson   L1064   NJ
Edwiin W. Winkleman   L48   OH
Arthur A. Stiers   L653   IL
Alfred Godette   L21   MN
George S. Mumford   L416   IN
Charles O. Keller   L345   KY

1922

Patrick Dixon   L2   IL
William Gelis   L2   IL
Alfred Little   L2   IL
Franklin Lazarus   L735   PA
William S. Copper   L798   CA
William S. Kirkpatrick   L798   CA
Anton Logar   L798   CA
Martin Carrigan   L788   NJ
Frank Hart   L215   WI
James T. Brown   L94   NY
Walter C. Farrell   L282   NY
Harry J. Custer   L112 CA"

May the never be forgotten.

Memorial Monday - IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial 1919-1920

IAFF FFFM Panel 1919-1920

This panel continues the names of those members of the IAFF who died in 1919 and continues into 1920:

"Edward F. Nealis - L94  NY
Charles B. Franssen - L94  NY
Louis Kieger - L21  MN
William Roland - L282  NY
Walter Musgrove - L734  MD
Roman W. Ritters - L112  CA
Archibald MacIntyre - L288  ON
Jacob Loeb - L345  KY
John J. Green - L22  PA
Thomas Innes - L22  PA
Thomas Kelly - L22  PA
Harry LeGrand - L22  PA
Albert Stevenson - L22  PA
Charles Zorr - L22  PA
Hugh Murray - L2  IL
Paul Polatti - L1  PA
Joseph McDonough - L94  NY
Francis H. McCormick - L43  OR
Daniel Rogers - L734  MD
Thomas Tuite - L2  IL
August Danczyk - L2  IL
George S. Wiest - L22  PA
Michael J. Mahon - L950  MA

IAFF FFFM Panel 1919-1920

John Burke - L2  IL
August H. Schafer - L416  IN
Peter Coughlan - L27  WA
John Baynes - L2  IL
John DeBreau - Le  IL

1920

Walter E. Reinheimer - L333  OH
Martin J. Haley - L282  NY
Warren Willis - L29  WA
Phillip P. Wagner - L860  PA
John Hade - L73  MO
Peter Buckley - L48  OH
Raymond Norris - L48  OH
Adolph Schonecker - L48  OH
Edward J. Vahling - L48  OH
Oscar H. Sohar - L786  CT
William Egenriether - L73  MO
Joseph Wittgenstein - L73  MO
Charles B. Summers - L34  AR
Thomas F. Brennan - L94  NY
Michael Karkel - L94  NY
James Brennan - L94  NY
Frank A. J. Callmeyer - L94  NY
James J. Hughes - L94  NY
Samuel Brown - L94  NY

Edward Jones - L1  PA
Harry L. Reese - L60  PA
Joseph Walsh - L48  OH
Henry A. Trull - L1116  MA
Charles Lacasse - L27  WA
Herman Grundlach - L1  PA
Charles Parks - L734  MD
Frank Keim - L48  OH
Charles W. Wilson - L101  MN
Owen Williams - L798  CA
Millford Dorff - L22  PA
Eugene Ost - L73  MO
Asa H. Hancock - L1645  UT
Harry Wilson - L94  NY
Edward Schwartzkopf - L22  PA
Harry Wilfrin - L22  PA
Fred Hotel - L48  OH
Joseph Schott - L48  OH
Lee West - L48  OH
Albert P. Schoenig - L48  OH
Denis Donovan - L94  NY
Dennis Martin - L1  PA
William Coe - L527  ON"

May they never be forgotten.

Memorial Monday - IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial 1918-1919

ForIAFF FFFM Panel 1918-1919

For the 1918-1919 transcription I had to use two pictures of the panel. The granite is very shiny, but that also makes it rather reflective so some names can't be seen clearly in the first, but they can in the second picture.

"International Association of Fire Fighters Organized February 28, 1918

1918

John Doyle - L22  PA
Charles C. Merges - L22  PA
Cornelius McGuire - L37  IL
Frank Geschke - L73  MO
Frank W. Hundsdorfer - L5  CO
Frank Weber - L575  MN
Richard S. Frost - L18  BC
Otis Fulton - L18  BC
Colin McKenzie - L18  BC
Donald Morrison - L18  BC
William J. Cameron - L18  BC
James F. Weldon - L825  CT

IAFF FFFM Panel 1918-1919

Thomas F. McDermott - L1116  MA
Patrick Moran - L1116  MA
Edward Smally - L344  MI
John Evers - L357  IN
Roy C. Gundlach - L145  CA
Charles Wing - L841  MA
Alexander Vint - L456  CA
Oliver Ough - L113  ON
John Anderson - L22  PA
Joseph Lund - L730  BC
Frank Campagna - L1784  TN
William H. Richards - L36  DC
Frank O. Markward - L36  DC
William T. Byran - L36  DC
Frederick W. Cheeney - L36  DC
Thomas A. Binaco - L36  DC
Matthew J. Cummings - L94  NY
William Sammon - L344 MI
Richard Dempsey - L2  IL
Maurice O'Dea - L2 IL
Herman Brandt - L366  MI
Thomas H. Mc Andrews - L718  MA
Joseph S. Fitzgerald - L94  NY
John F. Farr - L36  DC
Charles B. Proctor - L36  DC
Anthony J. Berberich - L734  MD
Frederick T. Branan - L734  MD

1919

Charles S. Snyder - L94  NY
Clinton T. Lowes - L416  IN
Oscar Peterson - L2  IL
George Layhe - L718  MA
George J. Scanlon - L94  NY
Joseph G. Schmitt - L94  NY
Timothy P. O'Sullivan - L42  MO
Ben Graham - L45  KY
William E. Schalle - L94  NY
Moses Thompson - L113  ON
James Lindsay - L149  ID
Thomas J. Stevens - L718  MA
Frederick Maas - L2081  NJ
Alfred D. Kundie - L94  NY
Oscar Danford - L249  OH
Robert T. Moorehead - L22  PA
John J. Conlon - L798  CA
Daniel Campion - L21  MN
Asa H. Cooper - L58  TX
Theodore B. Kentzel - L798  CA
Harold Nolan - L475  I
Howard A. Davis - L734  MD
John A. Watson - L734  MD
Patrick J. Lee - L94  NY"

May they never be forgotten.

Memorial Monday - IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial

"Somewhere, Everyday" bronze statue and granite walls of the memorial overlooking Pikes Peak

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I first saw it a couple years ago when I went to a hot air balloon festival with my family. I always meant to come back to it and give it a closer look. It's in downtown Colorado Springs near Memorial Park and driving downtown isn't one of my favorite things, so it kept getting pushed down on my priority list until very recently. My cousin's husband, Scott Carroll, died unexpectedly. He became ill while on a call and died a day or two later. His name will be going up on this monument in September and I'll get to see my cousin for the first time in nearly 40 years (gosh did I really just type that?). It's not the best way to get to see family and it's certainly not how we thought it would happen, but I am glad that Scott's name will be listed with all of these other brave men and women.

Entry to the Memorial transcribed in this post

I'm a veteran. When we think of memorials we often just associate them with the military, but there are so many others that have given so much. So many that have given their all, and they should be remembered. So the other week the assignment for the photography class I'm taking was themed "Around Town" and the first place I thought of going was the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial. I took pictures of the monuments that comprise the memorial and the first set of panels. I will start sharing those panels next week. They begin with 1918 so there are quite a lot of names. Today though I would like to share the information on the entrance to the memorial. I was out photographing it in the morning so the light was too harsh on the panel that talks about the memorial so I'll just share it without a picture of the actual words (you'll just have to trust me). Perhaps when I go back next time the sun will be in a better position.

"International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial

The International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial honors the sacrifice made by IAFF members - professional fire fighters, paramedics, and emergency medical personnel in the United States and Canada - who gave their lives while serving their country and community.

"Somewhere, Everyday" is a bronze statue of
a fire fight cradling an infant as he descends
a ladder

In 1989, the IAFF erected the first of two granite walls on this site, where the names of fallen IAFF members were etched as a silent tribute to their dedication above and beyond the call of duty. In 2015, the Memorial was rebuilt to renew these grounds and site, and to ensure all those who have fallen in the line of duty in the future are properly honored.

Each September, the IAFF conducts a ceremony to celebrate and pay tribute to their sacrifice and to provide support and comfort to the families of the fallen.

The centerpiece of the Memorial is an original bronze sculpture of a fire fighter descending a ladder while cradling an infant in one arm. Towering 20 feet above the Memorial, 'Somewhere, Everyday,' epitomizes the courage and bravery displayed daily by IAFF members across North America. The granite walls are a lasting tribute to those brave men and women so that they are always remember, never forgotten."

So the Memorial was first erected in 1989, but redone and rededicated in 2015. I was surprised that Colorado Springs, my new home, was the location for this Memorial, but the rededication in 2015 didn't surprise me. Colorado Springs was the site of two terrible fires in recent years. In the summer of 2012 the Waldo Canyon Fire filled the city with smoke as a huge fire blazed on the mountain range. Mountain fires are notoriously difficult to contain because of the terrain and winds that frequently come off the mountains during summer storms. It took nearly 3 weeks to contain and was the most destructive fire in Colorado's history (as measured by number of homes destroyed)...until the following year.

In the summer of 2013 almost exactly one year from the start of the Waldo Canyon Fire, the Black Forrest Fire started. It took nine days to contain which was much quicker than the previous year's fire, but there were more homes destroyed. Both fires terrified the region. Both fires made international headlines. Both fires caused a community that is notoriously stingy with their tax dollars to dig a bit deeper into their pockets to support their firemen and women. So the rebuilding/rededication of the memorial after two horrific fires isn't surprising. They did a beautiful job with the Memorial and it truly is a tranquil place.

Next week I'll share the names on the first panel of the fallen.